Getting started with low voltage deck lighting.

A well designed low voltage deck lighting scheme will really transform the look of your home at night, as well as providing safety and security. There’s a wide range of low voltage deck lights to choose from, each designed to suit a specific purpose. Just follow the links from this site for more information on deck lighting products.

Installing low voltage outdoor lighting.

Low voltage outdoor lighting has the advantage that it is exceptionally safe to work with. In most cases, you can even plug and unplug the lights while they are turned on. You will need to set up a low voltage transformer, which is easy enough to do so long as you follow the instructions. If you need to have an outdoor GFI outlet installed, you must have a professional electrician do it for you.

If you really want to keep it simple, and you live in a sunny climate, choose solar deck lighting. There is nothing to connect at all, and no wiring to hide.

Three tips to help you design your deck lighting scheme:

1. It’s all in the planning

Use a sketch plan of the area you plan to light, including the deck, the house, and any outdoor landscaping features. If you don’t have one available, make some measurements and sketch the plan out on graph paper.

It’s a good idea to set up the deck lights temporarily and turn them on to see how they’ll look before you install them permanently.

2. Begin with the highlights

Choose any features of the deck and landscape surrounds you want to focus on. These focal points may be attractive landscaping features, or areas which need to be highlighted for safety reasons, such as doorways, stairways, level changes or the edge of the deck.

3. Aim for a gentle, even wash of light.

A strong light shining directly onto a hard surface like the surface of the deck or a wall will create a harsh glare which is very uncomfortable on the eyes.

Also try to avoid ‘hot spots’, created when areas of light from different light sources overlap.

For more information on lighting up your deck, please read this article on in-deck lighting disks.